


Now and Then

by AndreaLyn



Category: Broken Hearts Club (2000)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-26
Updated: 2012-08-26
Packaged: 2017-11-12 22:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/496102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndreaLyn/pseuds/AndreaLyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things have changed between the before and the now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now and Then

_Before_   
  
Marshall stops sex because he’s freaking out. It’s not the first time they’ve done it while he’s high, and Howie is fairly sure it won’t be the last. He’s dependant like that, and if he’s really honest with himself, he needs Marshall during the nights. It’s only during the day that Howie’s games of manipulation and tests of loyalty work. When night rolls around, Howie becomes just that much more desperate and he can’t play at anything anymore.    
  
“I can’t,” Marshall moans, and instead of thrusting deeper, he stops.    
  
“You think you could maybe give me a copy of your schedule?” Howie bitterly asks. “I mean, if I’d known you were going to leave me hanging, I could have gone and jerked off while you giggled about the latest Ren and Stimpy, or whatever.”   
  
“Howie, they want me,” Marshall looks at him with wide eyes, fingers pressing into his waist as he pulls out and puts on a pair of boxer shorts. He runs his hands on the walls, and his face takes on childish wonder. Howie is frozen a moment before he struggles to sit up on the bed, a bead or two of sweat dripping down his face.   
  
“No,” he replies sharply. “I want you.”   
  
Marshall turns back, looks at Howie, and smiles. It melts Howie’s heart, and before he knows it, Marshall is in the bed again, pressing kisses down his chest. The marijuana scent invades Howie’s nose, and as much as he tries, he can’t get it out of there. It’s that moment that he knows he’ll be leaving as soon as Marshall falls asleep, snoring lightly.    
  
“So,” Marshall starts casually, and Howie closes his eyes. He knows where this is going, because with Marshall, ‘so’ only leads to one place. “Do you love me?”   
  
Howie pries away and leaves before Marshall is asleep on that night.   
  
_Now_   
  
They quibble about stupid and inane things. Marshall will take the wrong road and gets caught in traffic, and Howie will chastise him for it. They don’t have sex while Marshall is high anymore, and it seems better. Marshall moves in with Howie, stating that his old place has bad vibes, and that he’s not happy there.    
  
Howie finds himself experiencing a strange feeling of happiness, and a part of him isn’t sure he even deserves it. When he’s got Marshall’s attention whole as he pushes into him, and his brain’s communication line to his mouth breaks, he just exhales slowly and says the only thing he can.    
  
“Marshall.”   
  
This time, the only smell Howie inhales when Marshall slowly traverses down his body with kisses is cologne, and soap. Howie’s just fine with that, and as he drifts off to sleep – Marshall’s arm draped over his waist – he hears the all-too familiar phrase.    
  
“So,” Marshall begins drowsily, “do you love me?”   
  
Howie pauses, gives a lazy smile and laughs a little.    
  
“More than anything,” he murmurs before drifting off into a sated sleep.    
  
THE END


End file.
